Russia wants to tighten its terror laws after the attack on a military blogger. But no one wants to be responsible for his death. However, tightening the law could help the Kremlin keep one of Putin’s intimate enemies behind bars forever.
Russia plans to tighten terrorism laws. This was announced by Vasily Piskarev, chairman of the security committee in the State Duma, via Telegram.
The changes concern not only the terrorist attacks themselves, but also aid and terrorism propaganda, the Kremlin United Russia Party deputy announced. In particular, the list of crimes punishable by life sentences should be expanded.
No one wants to be responsible for the attack
This is Moscow’s response to the death of war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, who died in an explosion in a St. Petersburg cafe. The Commission of Inquiry, Russia’s top law enforcement agency, classified Sunday’s explosion in the Russian city as a terrorist attack on Monday. Vladimir Putin posthumously awarded a medal to the late war activist “for bravery and boldness”. The Kremlin blames Ukraine and Russian opposition members for the attack.
The 40-year-old blogger, whose real name was Maxim Fomin and described by the Ukrainian media as a “belligerent sadist”, had called for the “total destruction of Ukraine”. Ukraine denies involvement and agrees with Russian opposition members who claim that the Russian secret service FSB carried out the attack itself.
Investigators have so far arrested a 26-year-old woman named Darya Trepova who handed the blogger a plaster bust at an event at the said café. The suspect did not admit to murder plans, nor did she say from whom she received the arrest.
Why the case could affect Navalny
The Russian counter-terrorism committee says that the Ukrainian secret services have used the now arrested suspect for the “terrorist attack”. Accordingly, the woman is said to have had ties to the anti-corruption foundation of imprisoned Putin enemy Alexei Navalny.
Navalny’s team working in exile categorically denied the allegations. The FSB has been trying to trap the opposition with terror for years. Corresponding allegations from the anti-terror committee are sensitive, as Navalny will soon have to answer for a new criminal case for extremism. For Russian investigators, the charge in the case of the explosion is convenient because Navalny could be sentenced to the maximum sentence for terrorism, Russian opposition leader Ivan Zhdanov said in a statement. So far, none of the parties has provided evidence for their claims.
Blogger criticized the warfare in the Kremlin
Russian war bloggers have so far enjoyed extensive freedoms from the Kremlin, Reuters news agency reports. Putin even appointed an activist to his Human Rights Council last year.
If Navalny’s team gets his way, that could change. The FSB “eliminated” the deceased blogger himself. Tatarski, who criticized the defense ministry’s warfare in Moscow, had testified to the systemic flaws of the Russian military apparatus and made suggestions for improving warfare. To Moscow’s chagrin, the influential military bloggers repeatedly criticize corruption and abuse of office in the state leadership.
The head of Wagner’s private army, Yevgeny Prigozhin, had repeatedly denounced these abuses. Prigozhin praised the blogger as a true patriot and showed up with a Russian flag with Tatarsky’s name on it. The Wagner boss also contradicted the Kremlin’s version and sees more of a group of radical opponents of the war behind the attack. “I would not blame the Kiev regime for these actions,” he said.
The Kremlin is currently working to debunk the Wagner group. She is now too “important” for some in Moscow.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
